ExOfficio Insect Shield Convertible Pant

Used for the entire duration of my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2012. Developed a hole in the crotch after, but hey... hiking ain't a beauty contest.

I had these pants from Springer to Katahdin, and couldn’t have been happier with my purchase of these. They survived butt-scooting down steep rock faces in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, constantly sitting on sharp rocks in Pennsylvania, countless rain storms, countless heat waves, gallons of sweat and only a single hole in the crotch after all that nonsense. Not a big deal though, thru-hiking ain't a beauty contest.

I loved being able to switch from pants to shorts whenever I wanted. Anytime you can keep your pack weight down to a minimum is a good thing, and so not having to carry an extra item of clothing is wonderful.

I'm not sure if the "Insect Shield" actually worked or not, but I don't really care either way. I didn’t really notice if this particular brand was popular with other hikers, but I sure enjoyed them.

Definitely get something of this type of fabric though, it’s very quick drying and ideal for thru-hiking.